Alexander McCall Smith
By the Author
The Lost Language of Oysters
The latest book in Alexander McCall Smith's entertaining and hilarious Professor von Igelfeld series Professor Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld is not just any German professor -…
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The Great Hippopotamus Hotel
A chance meeting with the manager of The Great Hippopotamus Hotel leads the much-admired and traditionally-built Precious Ramotswe to investigate what is going wrong with…
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From a Far and Lovely Country
The twenty-fourth book in the multi-million copy bestselling and perennially adored No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. If you are the founder and Managing Director…
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The Discreet Charm of the Big Bad Wolf
In the hilarious new novel in the best-selling Detective Varg series, Ulf Varg will need to resolve both a sensitive crime and his own delicate…
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The Conditions of Unconditional Love
BOOK 15 IN THE MUCH-LOVED ISABEL DALHOUSIE SERIES 'You can't go out of the house without tripping over a philosophical question.' That is a remark…
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The Private Life of Spies
During WW2 there was a rumour that German spies were landing by parachute in Britain, dressed as nuns... Conradin Muller was an unusual spy. He…
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The Stellar Debut of Galactica MacFee
Book 17 in the hugely popular 44 Scotland Street series by worldwide bestselling author Alexander McCall Smith Glasgow for Bertie is the promised land. The…
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A Song of Comfortable Chairs
THE ONE WHERE MMA POTOKWANI SAVES THE DAY Grace Makutsi's husband, Phuti, is in a bind. An international firm is attempting to undercut his prices…
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The Enigma of Garlic
The latest in the hugely popular 44 Scotland Street series from the worldwide bestselling author, Alexander McCall Smith It's the most anticipated event of the…
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The Sweet Remnants of Summer
The latest installation in the beloved Isabel Dalhousie series 'Cosy and effortlessly charming' Herald 'Delightful' Sunday Telegraph 'Humorous and thought-provoking' Undiscovered Scotland Isabel Dalhousie joins…
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The Full Cupboard Of Life
The fifth book in the multi-million copy bestselling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series The one where J. L. B. Matekoni takes a great leap…
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In The Company Of Cheerful Ladies
The sixth book in the multi-million copy bestselling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series The one where Mma Makutsi finds a dancing partner . .…
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Morality For Beautiful Girls
The third book in the multi-million copy bestselling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series The one with the boy who might have been raised by…
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The Kalahari Typing School For Men
The fourth book in the multi-million copy bestselling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series The one with the rival detective Mma Ramotswe faces the unexpected…
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Tears of the Giraffe
The second book in the multi-million copy bestselling No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series The one where Precious gains a new family Mma Ramotswe of the…
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The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency
The first book in the multi-million copy bestselling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series The one where it all begins Mma Ramotswe is the proud…
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The Joy and Light Bus Company
Catch up on the latest from Mma Ramotswe, Mma Makutsi and other favourites in this new instalment of Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies'…
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Love in the Time of Bertie
The latest in the hugely popular 44 Scotland Street series from the worldwide bestselling author, Alexander McCall Smith Life for Bertie seems to be moving…
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The Man with the Silver Saab
The third book in Alexander McCall Smith's new DETECTIVE VARG series Perplexing, unfathomable and perhaps unimportant, the cases that Malmo's Department of Sensitive Crimes take…
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Your Inner Hedgehog
In the latest entertaining and hilarious Professor Dr Dr Moritz-Maria Von Igelfeld novel, our hopelessly out-of-touch hero is forced to confront uppity librarians, the rector…
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How to Raise an Elephant
The latest instalment from the beloved THE NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY series Catch up on the latest from Mma Ramotswe, Mma Makutsi and other…
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The Geometry of Holding Hands
THE THIRTEENTH INSTALLMENT OF THE MUCH-LOVED ISABEL DALHOUSIE SERIES When Isabel Dalhousie and her husband Jamie book a table at an expensive Edinburgh restaurant, she…
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A Promise of Ankles
Book 14 in the delightful 44 Scotland Street series, by worldwide bestselling author Alexander McCall Smith At the bottom of a sharply descending street -…
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The Talented Mr Varg
The second book in Alexander McCall Smith's new DETECTIVE VARG series . . . 'Reading the novel feels like a form of meditation . .…
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To the Land of Long Lost Friends
THE TWENTIETH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIES The one with the mysterious reverend . . . At a local wedding,…
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The Peppermint Tea Chronicles
Book 13 in the delightful 44 Scotland Street series, by worldwide bestselling author Alexander McCall Smith It is summer in Scotland Street (as it always…
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The Department of Sensitive Crimes
The first book in Alexander McCall Smith's new Detective Varg series . . . The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo introduced us to Scandi noir.…
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The Colours of all the Cattle
THE NINETEENTH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIES The one with the election . . . When Ramotswe enters politics to…
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The Strange Case of the Moderate Extremists
Detective Ulf Varg from the Department of Sensitive Crimes is often called upon to investigate unusual matters. But rarely is he asked to conduct an…
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The Quiet Side of Passion
THE TWELFTH INSTALLMENT OF THE MUCH-LOVED ISABEL DALHOUSIE SERIES It is summer in Edinburgh and Isabel Dalhousie is once again caught between 'gossip' and significant…
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A Time of Love and Tartan
Catch up with the delightful goings-on in the fictitious 44 Scotland Street from Alexander McCall Smith . . . 'A joyous, charming portrait of city…
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The House of Unexpected Sisters
THE EIGHTEENTH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIES The one with the other Mma Ramotswe . . . The dismissal of…
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A Distant View of Everything
Recently distracted by the arrival of her and Jamie's second son, Magnus, Isabel Dalhousie - philanthropic editor of the Review of Applied Ethics - is…
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My Italian Bulldozer
'While My Italian Bulldozer certainly advocates a kind, considerate, some might even say old-fashioned approach to resolving affairs of the heart, it also succeeds in…
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The Bertie Project
Bertie's respite from his overbearing mother, Irene, is over. She has returned from the middle-east, only to discover that her son has been exposed to…
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Precious and Grace
THE SEVENTEENTH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIES The one with the woman who lost her past . . . Precious…
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The Revolving Door of Life
For seven-year-old Bertie Pollock, life in Edinburgh's most celebrated fictional street has just got immeasurably better. The enforced absence of his endlessly pushy mother Irene…
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The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine
THE SIXTEENTH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE SERIES The one with Mma Ramotswe's summer holiday . . . Mma Ramotswe is taking…
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Sweet, Thoughtful Valentine
Edinburgh basks in glorious, but brief, summer sunshine, and Isabel Dalhousie - philosopher, philanthropist and mother - searches for the perfect birthday present for her…
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The Novel Habits of Happiness
Isabel Dalhousie is one of Edinburgh's most generous (but discreet) philanthropists - but should she be more charitable? She wonders, sometimes, if she is too…
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The Handsome Man’s De Luxe Café
THE FIFTEENTH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIES The one with Mma Makutsi's ambitious plan . . . Change is afoot…
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At the Reunion Buffet
Isabel Dalhousie - philosopher, mother and friend - is taking on the mammoth task of hosting her school reunion. In the hours before twenty-five former…
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The Forever Girl
Clover has loved James for as long as she can remember, since before she knew what what love was. But fate seems determined to keep…
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The Forever Girl
Clover has loved James for as long as she can remember, since before she knew what what love was. But fate seems determined to keep…
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Bertie’s Guide to Life and Mothers
As summer blooms in Edinburgh's gardens and Bertie Pollock's birthday appears on the horizon, all at 44 Scotland Street is not cake and sunshine. Newlywed…
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The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon
THE FOURTEENTH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIES The one with the one hundred per cent new addition . . .…
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The Slice of No.1 Celebration Storybook
In this delicious short collection to celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of the international phenomenon The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Alexander McCall Smith's wise, generous heroine…
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The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds
As a mother, wife, employer and editor of the Review of Applied Ethics, Isabel Dalhousie is aware that to be human is to be responsible.…
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Sunshine on Scotland Street
Scotland Street witnesses the wedding of the century of Angus Lordie to Domenica Macdonald, but as the newlyweds depart on honeymoon Edinburgh is in disarray.…
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The Limpopo Academy Of Private Detection
THE THIRTEENTH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIES The one where Mma Ramotswe meets her hero . . . Mma Ramotswe,…
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The Sunday Philosophy Club
BOOK ONE IN THE MUCH-LOVED ISABEL DALHOUSIE SERIES Isabel Dalhousie knows that behind Edinburgh's Georgian facades, its moral compasses spin with greed, dishonesty and lust.…
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Friends, Lovers, Chocolate
Isabel Dalhousie thinks often of friends, sometimes of lovers, and on occasion of chocolate. As an Edinburgh philosopher she is certain of where she stands.…
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The Careful Use Of Compliments
For philosophically minded Isabel Dalhousie, editor of the Review of Applied Ethics, getting through life with a clear conscience requires careful thought. And with the…
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Trains and Lovers
In the words of Alexander McCall Smith: 'You feel the rocking of the train, you hear the sound of its wheels on the rails; you…
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Unusual Uses For Olive Oil
Life is so unfair, and it sends many things to try Professor Dr Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld, author of Portuguese Irregular Verbs and pillar of the…
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The Forgotten Affairs Of Youth
Happy with her husband-to-be and beloved son, Isabel Dalhousie has feelings about parenthood that grow more tender daily. So when Jane, a visiting academic adopted…
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The Right Attitude To Rain
The key to contentment in the Scottish climate is the right attitude to rain - just as in life the key to happiness lies in…
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The Lost Art Of Gratitude
Isabel Dalhousie, philosopher and amateur solver of other people's problems, meets an old foe, Minty Auchterlonie, at a birthday party attended by their young children.…
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The Comfort Of Saturdays
Isabel Dalhousie is a new mother and a connoisseur of philosophy; she'd rather not be a sleuth. But when a chance conversation at a dinner…
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Bertie Plays The Blues
Even down to its well-set Georgian townhouses, Edinburgh is a hymn to measure and harmony. But on Scotland Street, domestic accord is in short supply.…
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A Conspiracy Of Friends
Corduroy Mansions, Pimlico is an oasis of old-fashioned civilisation, its inhabitants considerate and peace-loving. But beneath the polite exterior seismic change is stirring. Barbara Ragg…
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Blue Shoes And Happiness
THE SEVENTH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIES The one with the witch who flew away . . . Mma Ramotswe…
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The Miracle At Speedy Motors
BOOK 9 IN THE BELOVED NO.1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIES The one with the poison pen letter . . . For the first time in…
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Tea Time For The Traditionally Built
BOOK 10 IN THE BELOVED NO.1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIES The one where Mma Makutsi has a love rival . . . Mma Makutsi's engagement…
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The Double Comfort Safari Club
THE ELEVENTH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIES The one with the difficult aunt . . . The no. 1 lady…
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The Good Husband Of Zebra Drive
THE EIGHTH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIES The one where Mma Ramotswe's husband plays detective . . . At the…
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The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party
THE TWELFTH BOOK IN THE BELOVED NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY SERIES The one where Mma Makutsi gets married . . . As the countdown…
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The Cleverness Of Ladies
There are times when ladies must use all their wisdom and good sense to face life's problems and mysteries. Mma Ramotswe, owner of the No.1…
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The Perils of Morning Coffee
Summer in Edinburgh is a season of delicate sunshine and showers, picnics with loved ones in blossoming gardens and genteel celebrations of art and music.…
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The Charming Quirks Of Others
As well as its advantages, there are drawbacks to the enlightened village that is twenty-first-century Edinburgh, where every Saturday night ears burn at dinner parties…
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The Importance Of Being Seven
Despite inhabiting a great city renowned for its impeccable restraint, the extended family of 44 Scotland Street is trembling on the brink of reckless self-indulgence.…
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The Dog Who Came In From The Cold
In the genteel environs of Corduroy Mansions, Pimlico, strange doings are afoot, mostly in the name of love. Lonely William French and his faithful canine…
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Corduroy Mansions
Welcome to Corduroy Mansions in Pimlico: a temple of Arts and Crafts architecture, with comforting, weathered brickwork and frankly frivolous dormer windows, it is home…
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La’s Orchestra Saves The World
With a failed marriage behind her, La -- short for Lavender -- moves to the Suffolk countryside on the eve of the Second World War…
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The Unbearable Lightness Of Scones
To the casual observer, the great enlightened city of Edinburgh, home of no-nonsense philosophers and cream teas, might appear immune to the rollercoaster of strong…
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The World According To Bertie
Poor put-upon Bertie is still struggling to escape his overbearing mother's influence, his yoga lessons and his pink bedroom while wondering why new baby brother…
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Love Over Scotland
With his characteristic warmth, inventiveness and brilliant wit, Alexander McCall Smith gives us more of the gloriously entertaining comings and goings at 44 Scotland Street,…
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Heavenly Date And Other Flirtations
From the creator of THE NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY comes a medley of perverse couplings, casual dates and romantic encounters: hilarious tales that will…
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The Girl Who Married A Lion
Mma Ramotswe reads the foreword she has written to these tales, then goes on to narrate them all herself, passing them on to us verbally…
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Espresso Tales
In Espresso Tales, Alexander McCall Smith returns home to Edinburgh and the glorious cast of his own tales of the city, the residents of 44…
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44 Scotland Street
Book 1 in the hugely popular 44 Scotland Street series by worldwide bestselling author Alexander McCall Smith Alexander McCall Smith's delightful Scotland Street occupies a…
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The 2½ Pillars Of Wisdom
Alexander McCall Smith, best-selling author of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, has turned his hand to humour. The delightful result is a creation of…
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At The Villa Of Reduced Circumstances
The third novel in the 'Portuguese Irregular Verbs' trilogy sees von Igelfeld suffering the slings of academic intrigue as a visiting fellow at Cambridge, and…
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The Finer Points Of Sausage Dogs
In the sequel to Portuguese Irregular Verbs, our hero, Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld, is the unlikely choice to address veterinarians in the Ozark mountains of Arkansas,…
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Portuguese Irregular Verbs
Alexander McCall Smith, best-selling author of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, has turned his hand to humour. The delightful result is a creation of…